Atmospheric pressure and temperature motor.



PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

W. M. FULTON.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1901.

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APPLICATION FILED PEB. 25,1901.

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6. k a N 4 4 0 l=l= UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESTON MILLER FULTON, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO THE FULTONCOMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MOTOR.

n'lo. 795,161.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

Application filed February 25, 1901. Serial No. 48,852.

sure; and it has for its object to provide for utilizing a greaterpercentage of the energy that is obtainable from these atmosphericchanges than has heretofore been accomplished. Asmotors of this naturehave been heretofore made they have utilized metals and gases or gasescombined with vapors as the expansible medium for converting the energyinto mechanical motion; but I have found that by the use of a volatileliquid with its vapor a greater portion of the energy in question may beconverted, and I have shown two different mechanisms by which this maybe done.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in'the several views,Figure 1 is a sectional view of one mechanism for utilizing theatmospheric changes in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 isan elevation showing a second form of mechanism for a like purpose.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof,there is shown an apparatus including two substantially cylindricalexpansible chambers 5 and 6, each of which is corrugatedcircumferentially and is made of sheet metal or other suitable materialwhich will permit of movementof the ends or heads of the chambers towardand away from each other to vary its cubical contents.

The chambers 5 and 6 are disposed within casings 7 and 8,respectively,and are arranged with their axes vertical, and connected with theirupper heads are rods 9, attached to the opposite ends of a walking-beam10, mounted upon a post 11 and which walking-beam may have any suitableconnection with a shaft to be driven.

The casings 7 and 8 are formed from or provided with a coating ofasbestos or other suitable material to prevent passage of heat to orfrom them, and connecting the lower ends of the casings and openingtherethrough into the chambers 5 and 6 is a pipe 12, which is alsoprovided with a protecting-coating 13, this pipe 12 being connected at apoint adjacent to the inner side of the bottom of easing 8 and at apoint adjacent to the outer side of the casing 7. A second pipe 14 isconnected at one end through the bottom of casing 8 at a pointdiametrically opposite to the point of connection of pipe 12 and isconnected at its opposite end through the bottom of easing 7 at a pointdiametrically opposite to the point of connection of pipe 12there'through.

Two vaporizing-chambers are employed, one of which consists of a shell15 of some metal of high conductivity and which shell is cylindrical inform and is provided with tubes 16, passed longitudinally therethroughand secured to the heads of the shell, so that there may be a freecirculation of air both through and around the shell, and the interiorof the shell communicates at times with either of the expansion-chambersthrough a pipe 17, which is connected with the pipe 1 1.

The second vaporizing-chamber consists of a shell 18, which is alsocylindrical in form and of metal and in which are disposed a number oftubes 19, having their ends closed to prevent circulation of airtherethrough, and which casing has a non-conducting coating or jacket20,0f asbestos or similar material,which while not absolutely preventingaccess of atmospheric heat to the chamber will retard it, so that thecontents of the shell 18 will respond to atmospheric temperature changesmuch more slowly thanthe contents of shell 15, thereby differentiatingthe effects of heat on the two chambers. The shell 18 is connected withthe pipe 12, as shown.

In each of the shells 15 and 18 is disposed a quantity of ahighly-volatile liquid after the air from said shells and the connectedexpansion-chambers has been exhausted, and these liquids surround thetubes or fines of the shells.

To permit the apparatus to operate in the manner hereinafter set forth,it is necessary that the pipe 1 1 be in communication with one of theexpansion-chambers while the pipe 12 liquid used exterior to the tubesof both vaporizing chambers or shells and 18 may be carbon disulfid,chloroform, or other similar liquid.

In order that the tubes 12 and 14 may be connected with the chambers 5and 6 alternately and automatically, valves 22 and 23 for the tubes 12and 14 are disposed within chamber5 and valves 24 and 25 are disposedwithinthe chamber 6.

Valves 22 and 23 are pivoted at the ends ofa slide 26, having studs 27and 28 on one face and between which studs lies one end of a rocker 29,pivoted upon a post 30, and from the pivotal point of this rocker thereextends an arm 31, the outer end of which is passed through a frame 32at the lower end of a rod 32, attached to the upper end of the chamber5. A helical spring 33 is attached at one end to the rocker, above thepivot thereof, and at the opposite end to the foot of the post 30,vertically under the pivot of the rocker, so that if the rocker be swungupon its pivot as soon as it has passed its center of gravity the springwill move it quickly to its limit of movement. Thus with the parts inthe positions shown if the chamber 5 be expanded the frame 32 will riseand engaging the arm 31 will move the rocker past its center of gravity,when the spring will throw the rocker violently and will cause it tostrike the stud 28 and move the slide 26 to carry the valve 22 from overpipe 12 and carry the valve 25 to cover the pipe 14. A like mechanism isshown in connection with chamber 6, and the same reference numerals anddescription apply thereto. When the chamber 5 is expanding, the chamber6 is contracting, and the frame 32 of the latter chamber moves therocker past its center of gravity, so that its spring will throw it andcause it to operate the slide to move valve 23 from over pipe '14 andmove the valve 22 to cover the pipe 12.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: Supposing that the partsare in the positions shown, if there be a rise in temperature vapor willbe given off from the liquid in shell 15 and will also be given off, butat a slower rate, from the liquid in the shell 18, owing to the presenceof the lagging-jacket and to the fact that the filling 21 absorbs aportion of the heat contributed to the liquid in shell 18. The pressureof vapor in chamber 5 will therefore rise above the pressure in chamber6, and in consequence chamber 5 will expand and will compress the vaporin chamber 6 and the walking-beamwill be rocked in one direction. Thismovement will continue until the valve mechanism is shifted in themanner above described, when chamber 6 will be brought intocommunication with shell 15 and chamber 5 will be brought intocommunication with shell 18. The vapor in shell 18 being then at a lowertemperature than that in shell 15, the vapor in chamber 5 willsion-chamber connected with shell 15 is expanded, the vapor in shell 15will be condensed, so that the pressure in said connectedexpansion-chamber will be less than in the other expansion-chamber, andthe shell 18 will then be the one to supply pressure, while the shell 15will act as a condenser.

In order that there may be operation on both rise and fall oftemperature of the atmosphere, additional pipes 29 and are provided,leading from the shells 15 and 18 of the vaporizing-chambers, and withthem may be connected a pair of expansion-chambers the same in everyrespect as those above described, but having their valves reverselydisposed. It will be understood that the filling 21 acts as a storagemedium for heat and also to'assist in the action of the chamber as acondenser by absorbing heat.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings there is shown an apparatus comprisinganexpansible chamber 40 similar to those above described and in which isplaced a quantity of a highly-volatile liquid after the air has beenexhausted from said chamber. The expansible chamber is mounted upon abase 41, and connected with the upper end thereof is a cross-head 42,with which are connected the ends of cords or cables 43 and 44,the'cables being taken upwardly from the cross-head and around drums 45and 46 with several convolutions, then down and around pulleys 47 and48, and then upwardly to the cross-heads, so that-as the cross-headrises and falls the drums will be oscillated. The drums 45 and 46 arefixed upon a shaft 49, and mounted loosely thereon are two bevel-gears50 and 51, meshing with a bevel-gear 52, carried by a shaft intersectingshaft 49. The bevelgears 50 and 51 have annular ratchets 52 and 53 ontheir faces disposed reversely, and,these ratchets have pawls 54 and 55,disposed also reversely and in cooperative relation to the ratchets, sothat as the shaft 49 moves in one direction one gear thereon will bepositively rotated and when the shaft moves in the opposite directionthe other gear will .be rotated, the pawls being pivoted at the endsofarms 56 and 57, fixed to shaft 49. VVith'this construction a rise intemperature will cause the liquid within the expansion-chamber tovolatilize and expand the chamber, while a drop in atmospherictemperature will cause the vapor of volatilization to condense, when thechamber will collapse. Furthermore, if the atmospheric density varieswithout change of atmospheric temperature the relation between interiorand exterior pressure Wlll vary, and

the expansion-chamber Will be correspondingly moved.

It will be observed that in the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1 all ofthe valves, to-

gether with the parts that operate them, are

Within the liquid-tight chambers 5 and 6, so that nothing can be lost byleakage, a charge of liquid once furnished to the two vaporizingchambersbeing capable of use for an indefinite period. This is also true of thestructure shown in Fig. 2. Thus it will be seen that this mechanism isresponsive either to changes in atmospheric temperature or to changes inatmospheric density, or to both simultaneously, and it has been foundthat with the use of a volatile liquid as described the apparatus ismore delicately responsive and the results are greater in the aggregatethan when metals or gases are used in the place of the volatile liquid.

It will of course be understood that in practice modifications instructure of apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, which is the use of a volatile liquid and its vapor asdistinguished from the use of metals, gases, or vapors.

WVhat is claimed is 1. In a motor, the combination of a plurality ofvessels having collapsible walls, a heat-insulating casing inclosingeach of said vessels, a plurality of chambers adapted to contain avaporizable liquid, conduits connecting each of said chambers with eachof said vessels, one of said chambers being provided with aheatinsulating covering, heat-exchange tubes in each chamber wherebyvaporization may be ,retarded in one chamber and facilitated in another,valves in each vessel for opening and closing said conduits, andautomatic means for operating said valves, whereby said vessels andchambers alternately communicate with each other on the expansion andcollapsing of said vessels.

2. In a motor, the combination of a plurality of vessels havingcollapsible walls, a heat-insulating casing inclosing each of saidvessels, a plurality of chambers adapted to contain a vaporizableliquid, conduits connecting each of said chambers with each of saidvessels, one of said chambers being provided with a heat-insulatingcovering, closed heat-exchange tubes located in said insulated chamberand containing a substance having a high specific hcat, open-ended tubesextending through the uninsulated chamber, valves in'each vessel foropening and closing said conduits, and auto-- matic means for operatingsaid valves whereby said vessels and chambers alternately communicatewith each other on expansion and collapsing of said vessels.

3. In a mot-or, the combination of a vessel having collapsible walls,twovaporizing-chambers the walls of said chambers differing in heatconductivity, conduits connecting the vessel and chambers, slide-valvesin the vessel for opening and closing said conduits, means attached to amovable wall of the vessel for actuating the slide-valves, and aresilient member for accelerating the movement of said valves.

4. In a motor, the combination of a vessel having collapsible sidewalls, and rigid end walls, conduits located in one of the end walls, aslide-valve carried by said wall for opening and closing said conduits,a rocking arm engaging said slide-valve, and means connected with amovable wall of the vessel and with said arm for tilting the arm,whereby the valve is moved each time the vessel is extended orcollapsed.

5. In a motor, the combination of a vessel having collapsible sidewalls, and rigid end walls, conduits located in one of the end walls, aslide-valve carried by one of said walls for opening and closing saidconduits, a rocking arm engaging said slide-valve, means con nectingsaid arm and movable wall of the vessel for tilting the arm, and aspring for throwing said arm after it has passed its dead-center,whereby the slide-valve is given a rapid movement each time the vesselis extended or collapsed.

6. A motor operable by fluctuations in atmospheric temperature,including expansible chambers having separate non conducting jackets, anair-exhausted expansion-chamber havinga heat-retarding jacket, a secondnonjacketed expansion-chamber responsiveto delicate fluctuations intemperature, connections between the expansion-chambers and the ex--pansible chambers, and valve mechanisms within and operable by movementof theexpansible chambers, for alternately establishing and cutting oflcommunication between the expansible chambers and the expansionchambers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WESTON MILLER FULTON. Witnesses:

T. E. PLYLEY, J. J. GALBRAITH.

